Bill Simmons Says Caitlin Clark Is a Bigger Star than Any NBA Player Under 30

Caitlin Clark has star power comparable to NBA players, according to Bill Simmons.

The Bill Simmons Podcast host spoke to pop culture author and essayist Chuck Klosterman in a new episode posted on Tuesday in which he asked if the Indiana Fever guard is "a bigger under-30 star than any under-30 star in the NBA."

Simmons implicitly pit Clark against some of best current NBA players in their 20s, including the Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, 26; the Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum, 26; and the Minnesota Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards, 23.

But these star athletes were an afterthought to Klosterman, who answered "yes" to Simmons' probing about Clark.

"Her stardom, in a way, has changed many conversations about sports, I feel like. Especially women's sports," Kloisterman continued.

Simmons said he agreed, sharing that he "did not care about women's college basketball" a decade ago.

"Just the quality of play is more fun to watch," Simmons added. "But she seems to be some sort of catalyst that is just before and after. Now, we're in the after."

Kloisterman replied that it seems "difficult" for men to become "famous in basketball at a collegiate level," while it's " very plausible" for women.

"Everyone's made this point, it's super important," Simmons said. "But you have this history with these women's players in college for three years. Kind of have a sense of their game, so when they come to the WNBA, you know what they could do."

Clark, one of the highest paid WNBA rookies this year, has become a household name in the past few years alongside her competitors, the Chicago Sky's Angel Reese, the Las Vegas Aces' A'ja Wilson, and New York Liberty's Breanna Stewart.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert also attested to Clark's breakout debut on 60 Minutes last month.

"She's clearly an unbelievable player, came in with an unbelievable following, has brought a lot of new fans to the league," Engelbert said.